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INTERSECTIONAL ACTIVISMS WST 6935-Section 17F1, Fall 2019 INTERSECTIONAL ACTIVISMS WST 6935-Section 17F1, Fall 2019 Center for Gender, Sexualities, and Women’s Studies Research building, Room 108 Thursdays: Period 6 – 8 (12:50-3:50pm) K.L. Broad, Ph.D. Phone: (352) 273-0392 Email: [email protected] Office: CGSWSR building, Room 301 http://people.clas.ufl.edu/klbroad/ Office hours: Weds, 11:30am-2:30pm ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “My perspective, and I think it was shared, was let’s not name ourselves after a person. Let’s name ourselves after an action. A political action. And that’s what we did. And not only a political action but a political action for liberation.” (Barbara Smith on naming Combahee River Collective, Taylor, 2017: 31) “Since intersectionality is an analytic meant to be applied with an eye toward justice, we must examine how it has been interpreted and instrumentalized, understand how it has (or has not) been realized as a practice, and identify what obstacles it faces” (May 2015: 13) “…paradoxically, the success of intersectionality may mark its failure, the wide travel of the concept its shallow apprehension” (Carastathis, 2016: 3) COURSE DESCRIPTION: Early intersectional work arose from, and was grounded in, social movement activism, especially activism by feminist/queer/trans women of color (Combahee River Collective, 1981; Ferguson 2019; Mann 2012, 2013). Yet many stories of intersectional resistance and resilience remain incomplete or have been whitewashed (Carruthers 2018:44; Roth 2004: 7). Further, the field of intersectional studies has developed in ways that mask its political origin and neutralize the potential of intersectional collective action and resistance (Collins 2015; May 2015). This course seeks to re-center knowledge and strategies of resistance from intersectional social movement activism. We will begin by engaging activist statements and calls, articulating intersectional visions. We will then turn to an emerging interdisciplinary scholarship tracing the many different ways activists have worked to do social movement organizing and activism intersectionally, and the many structural and discursive constraints of doing so. We will read research featuring distinctive Black feminist intersectional movements, as well as research about the undocumented youth movement, carceral feminism, welfare rights activism, disaster recovery movements, reproductive justice, AIDS activism and more. We will attend to how political and economic forces have reduced multi-dimensional politics and other work detailing challenges of colorblind racism to social movement intersectionality. We will read about the different ways social movement intersectionality is done -- for example, “in the cracks,” through coalitions (variously conceived), via storytelling, and as # movement work. The goal is to collaboratively create a seminar that re-centers intersectional activisms’ interventionist and transformative possibilities while simultaneously attending to the mechanisms which whiten, flatten, and elide multi-dimensional, coalitional resistance. NOTE: Though I will try to remain as faithful as possible to this syllabus, I reserve the right to make changes, as long as they are announced in advance in class or via the class email list COURSE OBJECTIVES/GOALS This course is a graduate research seminar intending to provide participants with the following: A review of foundational work of Intersectionality Studies such that participants will become familiar with early intersectional work, core concepts, its roots in activism , and its potential as a political intervention. An introduction to some current reflections on the field of intersectionality studies and core critiques of academic intersectionality. A review of notable examples of intersectional activism, especially in social movement form, such that course participants will be able to identify ways intersectional collective resistance is practiced by activists and sometimes (re)deployed in unintended ways. A chance to engage recent work complicating existing understandings of intersectionality, revealing a longer more complex history of intersectional movement work. A space for in-depth consideration of current research about intersectional social movement action such that course participants will become familiar with key questions and shortcomings that characterize the practice of intersectional activism(s). An opportunity to do continual analyses of social movements and activism using an intersectional lens such that participants will develop fluency in raising and engaging questions from an intersectional perspective. GENERAL COURSE INFORMATION ACADEMIC ETIQUETTE: This course is a working seminar, where all participants will be both learners and researchers committed to working together as colleagues for this semester. The structure of the course depends on having each participant contribute in various ways to the material of the course. As such, all members of the seminar are expected to engage the material and participate in class in a manner that facilitates your colleagues’ engagement and participation. In particular, please consider how your use of electronics can be distracting to discussion – all participants are encouraged to put away phones and minimally use laptops in a seminar. Prompt arrival to class and regular attendance is expected (1 absence per semester is understood – no explanation needed – but should you miss more than one class you will need to meet with me and complete a make-up assignment. Please also see description of assignments for further discussion of expectations about course participation) UF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: This course will subscribe to the University of Florida Student Honor Code. A central part of the UF Honor Code is the Honor Pledge: “The Honor Pledge: We, the members of the University of Florida community, pledge to hold ourselves and our peers to the highest standards of honesty and integrity by abiding by the Student Honor Code. On all work submitted for credit by Students at the University of Florida, the following pledge is either required or implied: “On my honor, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid in doing this assignment.” Further information about the UF Honor Code and guidelines for Academic Honesty are here and in the UF Graduate Catalog here. Please also consult the Center for Gender, Sexualities, and Women’s Studies Graduate Student Handbook for further statement about professional expectations. PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL INTEGRITY: In order to make this an effective seminar for everyone, all participants will be expected to meet the professional standards of integrity expected for members of the Center for Gender, Sexualities, and Women’s Studies Research. This means I expect all participants to interact with peers “professionally,” meaning with honesty, ethical behavior, cultural sensitivity, teamwork, and effective communication. Additionally, I expect all seminar participants will fulfill work obligations in a thoughtful and timely way, and display collegiality and sensitivity to faculty and other students in the program. These are standards outlined by the CGSWSR as appropriate for MA students as well as Certificate students and informed by the National Women’s Studies Association Code of Ethics STUDENT CONDUCT CODE AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT: This course also operates under UF’s Student Conduct Code. The Student Conduct Code is a set of standards and regulations which describe the rights, privileges, and responsibilities for all currently enrolled students at the University of Florida. For more information, click here. UF provides an educational and working environment for its students, faculty, and staff that is free from sex discrimination and sexual harassment. For more information, see UF policies regarding harassment EVALUTIONS: Students are expected to provide professional and respectful feedback on the quality of instruction in this course by completing course evaluations online via GatorEvals. Guidance on how to give feedback in a professional and respectful manner is available at https://gatorevals.aa.ufl.edu/students/ Students will be notified when the evaluation period opens, and can complete evaluations through the email they receive from GatorEvals, in their Canvas course menu under GatorEvals, or via https://ufl.bluera.com/ufl/. Summaries of course evaluation results are available to students at https://gatorevals.aa.ufl.edu/public-results/ UF WRITING PROGRAM: The UF Writing Program offers all UF students help in the ongoing process of becoming better writers. As they explain on their website, the program “is committed to helping University of Florida students and faculty meet their academic and professional goals by becoming better writers. We support independent learning and encourage scholarship by providing one-on-one consultations, workshops tailored to specific classes (graduate and undergraduate), and faculty retreats focusing on publishing original research. Students and faculty at all levels and in every discipline are welcome!” I encourage all seminar participants to consider using these resources (e.g., writing workshops for graduate students and online tutoring!). ACCOMMODATIONS: Reasonable accommodations are available for students who have a documented disability with the Disability Resource Center, located at 0001 Building 0020-Reid Hall ([email protected]; Voice 352-392-8565; Fax, 352-392-8570). Please notify
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